Don't know your local paper?

Kicking goals for women

South Fremantle Women’s Football Club Sabrina Frederick-Traub has been drafted to Melbourne for an exhibition match. Picture: Will Russell www.communitypix.com.au d441303

Now 18 and playing for the South Fremantle Women�s Football Club, Frederick-Traub is preparing for one of the biggest games of her career after being drafted to Melbourne for their exhibition match against the Western Bulldogs at Etihad Stadium on August 16.

It has been a great year for Frederick- Traub, having played nine games for South Fremantle and kicking six goals, building on her 2014 season of 25 goals from 15 games.

She said she was excited to learn she would be playing for Melbourne, especially with South Fremantle�s Michelle Cowan as head coach.

�I was speechless at first, I was sitting with mum and she hugged me so tight I couldn�t breathe,� she said.

�I feel at ease knowing Michelle will be my coach because I have known her for a few years and she has been my coach at state level for the 18s and at international level when we toured New Zealand.

�She is one of the best coaches I have ever had the pleasure to have had, she just knows the game and she knows it well, she knows how to get a team to click and bring out the best footy on the day.�

Frederick-Traub said she enjoyed being a female in a male-dominated sport, loving the feeling of proving to the world that women could play just as well as the men.

�The pathways and opportunities for women in no way compare to the amount the men have, but we are slowly progressing with the Women AFL, and we are focusing on pathways coming up from youth level to state level and eventually national level,� she said.

�I have been playing football for nine years and to this day it still gives me absolute joy to run out with my teammates to kick the footy, and every girl deserves that opportunity and feeling.

�I would say to girls, drag your best friend down to a club and join with them, it is an amazing sport and you gain a whole other family within your club.

�For those girls wanting to take it further, I would say when you are training, focus on your weaknesses, and if you want to play at state level don�t be afraid to put yourself forward at trials, you could be exactly what they are looking for.�